Fox Re-Opening the Contract

[CL82]

I did not account for ticket sales in the breakdown, only because I couldn't think of a way to do that without just guessing at what attendance increases would be, which arena would host particular games, and what the prices would be. So take the numbers I presented at the end and realize you'll have to add a little bit because, let's face it, more people are coming out to see Villanova, Georgetown, Xavier, etc.

Hey Russ, nice job on that article. It really explains most of the moving pieces in a very understandable way.

Keep in mind that there woudl be some upfront infrastructure cost to doing the production for the ESPN+ games as well. I don't know that number is but I wouldn't be surprised if it was substantial.

 

[CL82]

The main problem with that article, and the assumption that just about everyone is making with the new Big East deal, is that we have received zero indication that we will be in control of our T3 rights in the Big East. Everyone is treating it like a foregone conclusion that we are getting that money when the truth is, I'm sure Benedict and Herbst would have made sure to mention that in the presser last month if it were true. Herbst specifically broke down the cost differences between the two conferences and never once mentioned T3 rights.

Getting to stay on SNY is a big boost for the university either way, but the conference will almost definitely retain our T3 rights and pocket the money from any SNY deal with UConn basketball. I would love to be proven wrong, but I don't recall seeing any information to the contrary.

Yep. What we do know is that football isn't part of the NBE deal. The contract indicates, IIRC, that the NBE only has an interest in "some" WBB games, so presumably that means that "some" could be sold to SNY. Whether or not they give up the rights to the remaining T3 MBB is, at you point out, unclear.

 

[Waquoit]

And when you get extra people going to games, the parking revenue goes up, the concessions revenues go up.....it's a multiplier effect.
Except at UConn where almost none of that goes back to AD.

In what universe does having most of the home games at Gampel equal having almost none of the parking and concession revenue going back to the AD?

 

[UConnRock]

The main problem with that article, and the assumption that just about everyone is making with the new Big East deal, is that we have received zero indication that we will be in control of our T3 rights in the Big East. Everyone is treating it like a foregone conclusion that we are getting that money when the truth is, I'm sure Benedict and Herbst would have made sure to mention that in the presser last month if it were true. Herbst specifically broke down the cost differences between the two conferences and never once mentioned T3 rights.

Getting to stay on SNY is a big boost for the university either way, but the conference will almost definitely retain our T3 rights and pocket the money from any SNY deal with UConn basketball. I would love to be proven wrong, but I don't recall seeing any information to the contrary.

I have made this point a couple of times. Fox is going to take what they can and maximize profits. Fans may get women's games on cable TV rather than streaming, but UConn may not reap the financial bnefits that some expect.

 

[kemba]

Financial breakdown of UConn's move to the Big East

A look at UConn's financial motivations for making the Big East move.

connecticut.rivals.com

this article projects $8 milly a year in revenue for uconn athletics in the BE as opposed to under $7 in the aac.

assuming the FOX deal reaches the projected $6 milly per team once the contract is re-opened then revenue would get up to $10 milly

Why is the football buy game part included in this? We can do those regardless of being in the AAC or independent. Being independent might open up some more flexibility but most buy games are done early in the year before conference play heats up anyway.

 

[Storrs South]

Why is the football buy game part included in this? We can do those regardless of being in the AAC or independent. Being independent might open up some more flexibility but most buy games are done early in the year before conference play heats up anyway.

I can’t speak for them but in my own analysis I considered that they can now do two of these a year instead of one at 50% probability assuming they would not this every year. Or at a minimum take a guaranteed payout like a Fenway or Yankee Stadium game that probably nets UConn more money than a home game.

 

[scoscox]

if adding a 12th school wouldn't cause any dilution then the 20 game-round robin wasn't a sticking point for FOX...

I think maintaining the round robin was a sticking point from the big east side. A side effect of that is that we’ll expand to 20 games. Fox is probably in favor of that but they weren’t the driving force in that case